Art Davidson: Schilling outpitches Jimenez in Game 2

Ubaldo Jimenez possesses a tremendous amount of natural ability. What Jimenez needs to do is learn how to pitch.

Art Davidson

Ubaldo Jimenez possesses a tremendous amount of natural ability.

The fastball of the 23-year-old Colorado Rockies right-hander has reached 100 mph this season and he has other potent weapons in his arsenal.

What Jimenez needs to do is learn how to pitch.

The World Series isn’t generally thought as being a classroom, but Curt Schilling, who will turn 41 next month, gave his young counterpart a lesson in the art of mound craftsmanship.

Schilling can no longer hit 96 mph on the radar gun and sometimes he can’t locate his pitches with pinpoint accuracy, but he can still pitch.

In what could be his final appearance at Fenway Park as a member of the Red Sox, Schilling enabled to Boston to move with two victories of a championship. Schilling hurled 5 1/3 gutsy innings in Boston’s 2-1 victory over the Rockies last night, a win which gave the Red Sox a 2-0 lead in the World Series.

Jimenez didn’t permit a hit until the fourth inning, but a lack of control proved to be his undoing. In 4 2/3 innings, Jimenez allowed two runs and three hits. What prompted his departure, though, was that he walked five and hit a batter. Jimenez often had no idea where his pitches were going.

A pitch thrown off the plate is nothing more than a ball, regardless of its velocity.

Conversely, Schilling got better as the game progressed. He allowed the leadoff batter to reach base in four of the first five frames, yet limited Colorado to scoring only one first-inning run.

“Schilling is a competitor. He got the better of us,” said Rockies manager Clint Hurdle, whose team defeated Schilling during the regular season. “He’s got about as much experience as anybody who is currently pitching. He did a good job of mixing up his pitches.”

Boston manager Terry Francona opted to remove Schilling after he gave up a single and a walk in the sixth inning with the Red Sox ahead, 2-1. Hideki Okajima did a masterful job in relief to snuff out the Rockies’ threat.

“(Schilling) was down in the tunnel trying to get loose during the previous inning (while we were batting),” said Francona. “I didn’t want to give up a run because someone was getting tight. It was time to get him out of there.”

Schilling concurred with his manager’s decision to remove him in the sixth.

“I was having trouble getting loose in the bottom of the fifth,” Schilling said. “Terry knows me well enough that I didn’t even have to say anything to him.”

“It was the Papajima show tonight. It was phenomenal to watch,” Schilling said.

Schilling issued four hits, struck out four and walked two, while throwing 82 pitches.

The victory increases Schilling’s remarkable record in the postseason to 10-2 in 18 starts. His World Series record is now 4-1 in seven outings.

An example of why Schilling is such a clutch pitcher occurred in the fifth inning with the score tied 1-1. Troy Tulowitzki was given a lead-off walk and was sacrificed to second base by Yorvit Torrealba. With the potential go-ahead run in scoring position, Schilling struck out Ryan
Spilborghs and induced Willy Taveras to ground out with a nasty cut fastball.

Schilling got off, pardon the pun, to a rocky start in the first inning. He hurt himself in two ways, but was able to limit the damage to a run.

He began the game by hitting Taveras with a pitch. After Matt Holliday singled into shallow left field, Schilling got over to third base too late to retire Taveras. A potent out became a run when Todd Helton grounded out.

Last night’s effort didn’t have the drama of Schilling’s epic “bloody sock” performances in 2004 against New York in the American League Championship Series and vs. St. Louis in the World Series.

The Red Sox are no longer a group of lovable losers trying to end 86 years of frustration.

Boston is a high-priced talented team that’s attempting to become the first franchise to win two World Series titles this century.

Where Schilling, who will become a free agent after the World Series, will be working in 2008 is unknown. He suffered through an injury-plagued season, yet is having another heroic postseason.

If Boston wins the World Series in Denver, Schilling might never put on his home white Red Sox uniform again.

“I don’t have any emotions right now,” admitted Schilling. “(The Red Sox) know I want to come back. I’m not looking ahead. I’m just trying to win a World Series.”

If Schilling does leave Boston this year he might be able to take a new World Series ring with him.

Art Davidson is a Daily News staff writer. He can be reached at 508-626-4403 or adavidson@cnc.com.

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